The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, which includes both Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals, employs around 10,000 members of staff who work within the group model.
The group has many initiatives and benefits that help to improve the employee experience just by being part of the healthcare sector.
Mark Smith, chief people officer at University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, states that in addition to the NHS pension scheme, there are a number of development initiatives designed to help staff develop knowledge, skills and qualifications that will enhance their careers.
“Within our trusts specifically we also have a number of health and wellbeing initiatives in place, which include physical and psychological support services. Within our health system we also host an annual wellbeing festival, which has been held virtually due to the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic over the past two years, but provides useful advice, hints and tips, including a number a keynote speakers and presenters sharing their experience,” he says.
The employer decided to introduce these benefits due to the link between its employees’ experience and that of the patients they serve and care for, as it is imperative to provide the best experience possible to support staff in undertaking important roles.
“There are not many, if any, people within the country who have not accessed the NHS for treatment or support, and it is important we are able to enable colleagues to provide these services,” Smith adds.
He explains that the benefits have been introduced over a period of time, and that the group has had to adapt the way it enables access to the initiatives during the pandemic.
“One of the important factors for our initiatives is to regularly communicate with staff as to what they find useful, which makes a difference to their work experience. Our initiatives have supported them during the challenges faced during the past 18 months and it is really important that we continue to monitor the impact of the services to ensure they remain effective,” Smith concludes.